Starfish Packs

Kal Rotary member Dr. Carmen Larsen was recognized for her work with the local Starfish Pack Program, which is designed to provide food for a weekend to students in need. Some parents simply do not have the means to provide healthy meals every day for the entire family, and this was being seen by a number of teachers in the Abbotsford area who realized their students were coming to school Monday morning, having not eaten properly over the weekend. The local school board and Rotary Club looked at this problem and started the Starfish Pack Program to provide the students who needed it, a backpack loaded with food when they left school on Friday to get them through the weekend. This program has been successful and is spreading quickly through the province - there is a lot of information about this, and also a way to get involved, at the main website - www.starfishpack.com  or at the Vernon website - www.starfishpack.com/vernon    (Carmen is seen in the center of this photo with Rotarian Kim Nasipayko and Club President Brian Reid)